Helicoidal vibrating ramp handling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Handling apparatus of the type comprising a vibrating trough, provided with a helicoidal transport ramp and connected to a frame by means of elastically deformable systems, characterized in that the elastically deformable systems are formed, in their simplest form, by spring blades all attached by one of their extremities to a base, of light construction, and by the other alternately to the vibrating trough, or useful mass, and to a reaction mass arranged beneath said trough so that the latter and said reaction mass have a common axis of symmetry.

United States Patent Lebreuil [451 Aug. 1, 1972 [54] HELICOIDALVIBRATING RAMP HANDLING APPARATUS [72] Inventor: Jean-Claude GastonClement Lebreuil, 24 rue Paul-Bert, 94 Villeneuve-le-Roi, France [22]Filed: April 17, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 29,461

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data April 25, 1969 France ..69l32l8[52] US. Cl..l98/220 BC, 198/220 CA, 198/220 DC [51] Int. Cl ..B65g27/00 [58] Field of Search 198/220 BB, 220 BC, 220 CA,

198/220 CB, 220 CD; 209/368, 220 BC, 220

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,322,260 5/1967Schwenzfeier ..209/368 3,258,111 6/1966 Spurlin ..198/220 BC 3,528,5419/1915 Barton ..l98/220 CB FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 467,206 2/1969 Switzerland ..l98/220 BC Primary Examiner-Richard E. AegerterAttorney-Linton & Linton [57] ABSTRACT Handling apparatus of the typecomprising a vibrating trough, provided with a helicoidal transport rampand connected to a frame by means of elastically deformable systems,characterized in that the elastically deformable systems are formed, intheir simplest form, by spring blades all attached by one of theirextremities to a base, of light construction, and by the otheralternately to the vibrating trough, or useful mass, and to a reactionmass arranged beneath said trough so that the latter and said reactionmass have a common axis of symmetry.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUB 1 I972 3.686.683

INVENTOR TEAN-CLAUDE GDSTM CLEMENT LEBREU/L g y 1M ATTORNEYS HELICOIDALVIBRATING RAMP HANDLING APPARATUS The present invention relates tohelicoidal vibrating ramp handling apparatus of the type used to liftparts or to distribute them along a determined position.

Such apparatus generally comprise a cylindrical trough with innerhelicoidal ramp, forming the useful mass, connected to a frame, or massof reaction, by an elastic system formed by spring blades.

The reaction mass, always substantial with respect to the useful mass,is nevertheless subjected to vibrations, with all the disadvantages thisinvolves.

In order to remedy this drawback, vibrating units have been created,constituted by two oscillators vibrating in opposition and arranged sothat the assembly has one axis, if not a plane, of symmetry, locus ofpoints where, at any instant, the resultant of the active forces is nil,the attachment of each of the elastic systems of the oscillators to theframe of the apparatus being done at points situated on this axis.

Each vibrating unit being formed by two flexible and parallel bladeseach having a point of attachment respectively to the useful load and tothe mass of reaction, said blades being joined at their extremities byrigid cheeks centrally transversed by a shaft whose axis was in theaforementioned plane of symmetry.

Such a device however is not satisfactory.

In fact the creation of such units is very costly for it requires theuse of spacing cheeks and connecting pieces attached to the bladeseither by means of straps, or by piercing said blades to respectivelyconnect the latter to the useful mass and to the mass of reaction.

Also experience has confirmed that, in such machines, it is importantthat the mass of reaction be arranged as near as possible to the usefulmass, and this condition cannot be fulfilled except by arranging thelongitudinal axis of the blades horizontally to the detriment of theguiding of said blades which, in this position, can vibrate by flexingin their plane and consequently perturbing the vibration of the usefulmass.

The present invention, which remedies these drawbacks, is remarkable inthat the elastically deformable organs are constituted in their simplestform by spring blades all attached by one of their extremities to a baseat points of fixation situated circumferentially and by the otheralternately to the useful mass and to the reaction mass in such a mannerthat the latter and said useful mass have a common axis of symmetry.

The mass of reaction is constituted by a crown arranged beneath thesupport plate of the helicoidal ramp trough.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing in exploded perspective theprincipal components of the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the base.

Referring to the drawing, it can be seen that the apparatus consists ofa cylindrical trough l, with the usual inner helicoidal ramp, attachedto a plate 2, the whole forming the useful mass and being attached tothe base 3, of light construction, by means of elastically deformableblades 4.

The mass of reaction is constituted by a heavy crown 5 arranged beneaththe plate 2 and connected to the base 3 by means of elasticallydeformable blades 6.

The points of fixation of the lower extremities of the blades 4 and 6are respectively constituted by bolts engaging bosses 7 and 8 of thebase arranged according to a circumference C whose center is situated onthe common axis of symmetry of the useful mass and of the mass ofreaction, FIG. 3.

The blades 4 extend by their upper extremities beyond notches 9 of thecrown 5 to be attached by bolts or the like (not shown) to bosses l0situated beneath the plate 2.

The attachment of blades 6 to the crown 5 is done by means of bolts toone of the faces of notches 9' identical to 9, but it is evident thatthis attachment could be done by any other means such as, for example,by means of bosses provided by said crown and similar to theaforementioned bosses 10.

The angle formed by a blade and the base 3 is the same for all blades 4and 6. The orientation of blades 4 and 6 is such that the latter are alltangent at a point of one of their fields to a right cylindrical surfacewith circular directrix whose center is situated on the axis of symmetryx-y common to the useful mass and to the mass of reaction.

The useful mass and the mass of reaction are equal and they aresupported by identical blades 4 and 6, the difference in height beingdetermined by bosses 7 and 8.

The arrangement of the blades with respect to the useful mass and to themass of reaction allows, without disturbing the guiding of said blades,to place said mass of reaction as near as possible to the useful mass.

Also the attachment of the blades is done without costly parts, and itrequires a minimum of machining of said blades.

Finally it is possible to attach the protective housing 11 to the base 3whatever its weight may be and without taking precautions for balancing,since it plays no part in the mechanical action of the apparatus. Forthis reason the housing 11 can be used without disadvantage to supportthe electrical control equipment which is placed in it.

As in most known vibrating apparatus, the efforts of excitation areapplied between the useful mass and the mass of reaction.

Thus one may use an electro-magnet whose coil 12 placed along the x-yaxis is attached to the plate 2 while the armature 13 is fixed on thecrown 5.

Naturally the forces of excitation can also be of electrodynamic,mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, etc. origin.

Finally the vibrating blades 4 and 6 can be associated in stacked layersof blades and they can be made of steel, wood, bronze, glass fiber andgenerally of any material able to flex elastically.

I claim:

1. In a handling apparatus comprising a vibrating trough of useful massprovided with a helicoidal transport ramp, elastically deformable springblades, a base of a relatively light construction, a mass of reactionprovided by a heavy crown positioned beneath said useful mass with saiduseful mass and said mass of reaction having a common axis of symmetry,said crown having an interior opening therein means connecting some ofsaid blades to the interior of said crown, means connecting others ofsaid blades to said useful mass metry of said useful mass and said massof reaction, fastening means attaching said blades to said bosses andthe bosses for the blades attached to said useful mass, extendingfurther from said base than the bosses for the blades attached to saidmass of reaction.

3. In a handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the coil ofsaid electro-magnetis attached to the underneath side and center of saiduseful mass.

* I I l t

1. In a handling apparatus comprising a vibrating trough of useful massprovided with a helicoidal transport ramp, elastically deformable springblades, a base of a relatively light construction, a mass of reactionprovided by a heavy crown positioned beneath said useful mass with saiduseful mass and said mass of reaction having a common axis of symmetry,said crown having an interior opening therein means connecting some ofsaid blades to the interior of said crown, means connecting others ofsaid blades to said useful mass with said latter blades extendingthrough said crown, means connecting said blades to said base and anelectromagnet connected to said useful mass and said mass of reaction.2. In a handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said springblades are all of the same length, said means connecting said blades tosaid base consists of bosses attached to said base on a circumferencewhose center is situated on the common axis of symmetry of said usefulmass and said mass of reaction, fastening meAns attaching said blades tosaid bosses and the bosses for the blades attached to said useful mass,extending further from said base than the bosses for the blades attachedto said mass of reaction.
 3. In a handling apparatus as claimed in claim1 wherein the coil of said electro-magnet is attached to the underneathside and center of said useful mass.